The Peasants Wise Daughter
by A1000Words
Summary: There was once a peasant who had no land, only a small house and one son and one daughter. Little did they know, one request to King Syaoran would flip their world completely upside down.
1. Beginning

**CHAPTER ONE**

There was once a peasant who had no land, only a small house and one son and one daughter.

They lived a very peaceful life, they worked for everything they had. From the time the sun rose in the morning, to when the moon woke from his slumber.

The summers were short, winters harsh and seemed to last forever. But they were happy.

Fujitaka loved his children, although times were tough he would always make sure his two children had the basics in life.

His son, Touya was a splitting image of himself. Tall, dark hair with striking deep brown eyes. Very stubborn too. He was very popular with the ladies. Although, he had a good head upon his shoulders and helped his aging father to provide. Nearing 23, he knew that someday he would need to leave the nest and begin his own adventure, but for now he had his hands full looking after his younger sister, Sakura.

Sakura was a smart girl, an old soul who thought rationally, yet spent most of her days with her head in the clouds. Imagining the impossible; worlds where animals talked and magic exists. Books were a luxury, over the years they had collected a small handful. Her favourite was Alice In Wonderland, the frayed cover and pages falling out of the spine was an example of how often she had read those pages, getting lost in the adventures. She liked to imagine herself there, beside the girl with the long blonde hair. Chasing after the peculiar white rabbit with the pocket watch, drinking tea with the Had Hatter, painting the white roses red in anticipation of the Queens Games.

They sat around the dinner table one evening, wind howling outside, the cold breeze seeping between the gaps of their old house. A small wood fire brought some warmth and light, but the winter was a hard time of year for them. At the markets, peasants traded goods, to help others in time of need.

Fujitaka had raised chickens, cows and pigs. In return for the meat and poultry, he was able to provide warm clothes and bedding. Rice and bread were a luxury at this time of year as there never seemed to be enough to go around the villagers.

"We ought to ask our Lord, the King for a section of newly-cleared land," Sakura expressed, pushing her hard-boiled egg around the plate." Then we can plant our own wheat to make bread, it would benefit us and so many others."

"Heh!" replied Touya, a screwed up expression upon his face, "the Boy King only thinks about himself. He won't help us."

Sakura could never understand why Touya always thought negatively of their King. Most of the villagers had only ever seen him during the parades, and she very rarely heard anyone speak ill about him. She had learnt at a very young age to never judge a book by its cover. "I don't understand why you always speak so negatively of him."

"Because he's a BOY," he replied, raising his arms as if that's a obvious answer, "a boy is controlling us, making us work to exhaustion. While he sits in the castle eating the finest food, wearing the finest clothes. And what do we get? Nothing."

"He's the same age as me."

"And you're just a girl. Go on, ask him. It'll teach you a lesson. You need to get your head out of the clouds, Sakura. Not everyone is as nice as you think they are."

"Not everyone is as horrible as YOU think they are," at 18 she still felt like her brother just had to pick on her like she was still a child. She poked her tongue out and crossed her arms.

"Kids!" Fujitaka rubbed his temple, once luscious deep brown locks now scattered with gray, "Sakura is right, Touya. King Syaoran has never done us any harm. I will visit him tomorrow and ask. What do we have to lose?"

Sakura couldn't help but grin while her brother rolled his eyes. The night ended very swiftly, during the winter- the easiest way to keep warm is to go to bed early and just try to sleep. Counting the days till Spring arrives.

The next morning, the sun was shining. Not a cloud in the sky or a whistle from the wind. Apart from the thin blanket of snow covering the ground, it didn't feel like winter.

Sakura was the last to get up, by the time she entered the kitchen her father and brother had already milked the cow and collected the eggs.

"It was supposed to be your turn, twerp," joked Touya, rustling Sakuras' light auburn hair.

"Sorry! I'll do it tomorrow-" Touya raised an eyebrow "- and the next day."

"Good girl!" her brother praised, putting emphasis on the word 'girl' to spite their convocation from last night. "The morning is warmer, Spring is nearly here!"

Spring had always been her favourite season. It reminded her so much of her mother, who unfortunately passed when Sakura was just a wee babe. Sometimes she swears she glimpses from the corner of her emerald green eyes, her mother's sillouet dancing amongst the pink Cherry Blossoms that surrounded their house. Her father told stories about her beauty and grace. How kind she was and how Sakura reminds him so much of her too. "Your mother would be so proud of you," he would tell her.

"Let's hope the King is in a giving mood with this warmer weather upon us." As the days go by, Sakura notices the dark circles under her father's eyes getting deeper, wrinkles appeared more prominent. The hard times wore him down, yet he always wore a kind smile and would help anyone who asked. Someone once asked her what she wanted to be when she was older, she replied; 'a kind man, like my father.'

After breakfast, Fujitaka, with a basket full of eggs headed off to the market, afterwards he was going to visit the King and ask for the land they desired.

Sakura and Touya wished him the best of luck. Sakura was anxiously awaiting his return, watching the sun as it slowly moved across the sky. Twidling her thumbs only kept her occupied for so long, so with a sigh she grabbed her book and went outside to sit under the Cherry Tree, imagining what life would be like if they lived in the castle.

Eating the finest food, wearing the finest clothes- pretty dresses and shoes. Never having to worry about anything. She would be so kind the town's folk, giving them everything they need.

Life would be simple.

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	2. Golden Ticket

_Thanks for the support. Apologises for late updates spelling/grammer errors. Life is busy. Enjoy!_

 **Chapter 2**

At last, her father returned. The sun was beginning it's slow descendant behind the mountains, painting the sky with reds and oranges.

The first thing Sakura noticed was the smile upon her father's face. "The King heard of our poverty," he explained, "he's given us land to sow and plant our grain and corn. This is ours," gesturing to the land that lay on the boundary of their house, all the way to the small creak that could barely be seen in the distance.

"That's great news, father." Touya nodded.

"See told you!"

"Guess you can't be wrong all the time, aye Squirt."

With the good news they feasted on bread and poultry that night, talking about what the future has in store for their family. The people they would help, and how caring King Syaoran was to ask for nothing in return. "We've got a lot of work to do," Fujitaka reminded his children.

The weeks that followed flew past like the leaves that fell from the trees. They continued their daily chores, selling and swapping what they could down at the market and keeping the animals healthy, but they also got to work preping the land they had been given.

Days were getting warmer and longer. No longer did the sun begin it's decent at such an eariler hour. The warmer air gave them all motivation to work hard, that and knowing that all the time and effort they were putting in would benefit themselves and so many others.

It was nearing lunchtime, beads of sweat glistened on her brow as she pushed the shovel into the virgin earth. The snow from the last few months had made the ground moist, luckily for her as she wasn't the strongest of the three.

A second dig from the spade ended with a loud clunk. "Maybe just a rock," Sakura shrugged, moving her spade to dig around the blockage. To her surprise, what she assumed was a rock, blinded her with the gold reflection as the sun uncovered a solid gold mortar.

"Uh, dad," she called, brushing the earth off the mortar. Being buried for such a long time, it was still in perfect condition. She had never seen something as magical in her life. Once, she read a book about giants that lived within the clouds who dined on golden plates with silver cutlery. It never occurred to her that something from her books actually existed.

"Listen," Fujitaka said to his daughter, as they sat around the dinning table having their lunch, "as the King has been so gracious and granted us this land, we ought to give him the mortar in return for it."

Sakura, however would not consent to this, "Father, if we have the mortar without the pestle as well, we shall have to get the pestle. So you better say nothing about it."

"For once dad, I have to agree with Sakura. We have neatly dug all the land, what if we don't find it. The King will think we're lying and make us all dig until our hands are blistered and bleeding. He may be generous in giving us the land, but he's still a King."

Fujitaka shook his head. "I cannot lie or with-hold it kids. I must take it to him"

"But dad-"

He raised a hand before neither son nor daughter could continue the argument. "Finish your lunch and get back to work, I will go visit King Syaoran on my way to the market. There will be no more discussing this."

The atmosphere turned from excitement to somber promptly. She knew this was a bad idea. Every fibre in her body was telling her to stop her father from presenting to mortar to the King, yet she knew she would not win the argument with her father.

In frustration she stomped outside, kicking at the ground, stomping her feet. So many times she had been told that she is wise beyond her years, yet no one ever listens to her. Fighting off the tears of frustration she returned to the spot she found the mortar. Her only hope was finding the second object and being able to present that to King Syaoran before he called them liars.

Fujitaka wrapped the Mortar up in a cloth and placed it carefully in his backpack. On top he stacked a few jugs of milk and cartons of eggs.

The afternoon market was busier than the morning market. Everything and anything was for sale, from flowers to books. Clothes to meat, even pets! It didn't take him long to trade the few items he took with him. A loaf of freshly made bread, a small glob of butter and a new book for Sakura.

He knew his children meant well, but he just couldn't not present it to the King. It was the right thing to do.

Walking towards the castle seemed like a whole new town. While the market streets were over crowded with people. Rats and cats scavenging any crumbs that might be lying around and litter blew around in the light wind- the path leading towards the castle seemed to be paved with gold.

Perfectly cut hedges boarded the path, some with bright healthy roses growing amongst them. Spring flowers danced ahead of him, vibrant and immaculate. Not a pettle out of place.

Fujitaka could plow fields for hours every day of the week, yet the steps leading up the the castle doors took his breath away, granted the solid gold gift he carried on his back weighed him down a lot.

He was so distracted focusing on making to to the top if the stairs that he nearly bumped into Yue. He was famous down at the market as he was one of the few staff to be seen regularly. Long white hair was tied in a loose pony tail at his shoulders. It was so soft that it played in the slightest breeze that enveloped them. Fujitaka was tall, yet The stood atleast a head or two taller. Deep piercing pale eyes looked down upon the aging man, an eye brow slightly raised in wonder yet a expressionless face.

"I'm here to see the King. I have a gift, as thanks for the land he presented my family and myself," Fujitaka explained, bowing slightly in respect.

The never spoke, no one had ever heard his voice before. He swiftly turned around and walked through the open doors. Fujitaka followed him inside. The ceiling seemed to reach to the heavens, supporting pillars created a maze, yet the centre of the room was open. A royal red carpet lay in the middle leading up to a raised platform to which King Syaoran sat.

People fussed around, maids cleaning, others chatting. Syaoran sat slumped in his chair, tapping his fingers idly on the arm rest. Fujitaka couldn't help but feel somewhat pity for the boy. He was the same age as his daughter, but had so much more responsibility.

He would bet his loaf of bread that the King had never run through and open field and felt carefree like an 18 year old should.

Fujitaka stood before him, he could feel amber eyes searching him for a reason for his presence. "My King. I would like to thank you so much for the land you have given my family. It will benefit us, the town's folk and yourself more than you know. I would like to present you a gift as our thanks. We found this while digging the land."

He pulled the solid gold mortar out of his bag and held it towards the King. Syaorans eyes glistened at the sight of the gift, he sat up proper in his seat with interest. He signaled to Yue who took the heavy gift off Fujitaka and presented it to Syaoran.

"Did you find anything else?" Syaoran asked, raising an eye brow in amusement.

"No," replied Fujitaka.

Syaoran huffed rudely, "you must now bring me the pestle."

Fujitaka was shocked by his response, he wished he had listened to his daughter, "we have not found the pestle, My King. I'm unsure to where it is."

"Then," Syaoran wore a slight smirk on his face, "I send you to prison. You will stay there until you produce the pestle." If he was lying and keeping the pestle for himself, a day or two sleeping on the cold concrete floors would break him.

With a gesture to two of the many armed guards standing around, they lead a shocked Fujitaka away. His mouth gasped open, no words coming out.

'I should of listened to Sakura,' his mind screamed.

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


End file.
